Expert Committees and Working Groups

ANSES undertakes adversarial collective expert assessments to better ensure:

• a multidisciplinary approach to the subject being examined,
• a diversity of data sources and scientific knowledge,
• an exchange of different opinions, theories, or schools of thought,
• discussion and debate on any divergent opinions,
• the independence of the opinion.

This procedure, laid down in the founding documents of the expert agencies, aims to ensure the optimum validity of the results.

Expert groups

When evaluating health risks, ANSES systematically undertakes collective and adversarial expert assessment  with Expert Committees (CES) that cover the Agency’s entire sphere of competence.

In addition to the Expert Committees (CESs) for risk assessments, expert appraisals may involve one or more rapporteurs, or if the subject requires it, a specific Working Group (WG) established under the control of one or more CESs. In true emergencies, assessments can be carried out by an Emergency collective expert assessment group (GECU).

Public calls for candidates enable the Agency to draw on the broadest number of applications when setting up its expert groups (CESs and WGs). Furthermore, these expert groups are renewed regularly.

ANSES selects its experts based on the following criteria: their scientific competence in a given field, their independence with regard to links of interest disclosed in their public declarations of interest (DPI), and their availability. It also seeks a balance among the disciplines sought within a given group.

The selection of experts for the CES is the subject of rigorous in-house examination and validation by the Agency’s Scientific Board.

The experts are appointed on an individual basis by the Director General for a specific mandate and a period of no more than three years.

All terms and conditions for the establishment of the groups and appointment of experts are described in the formalised procedures outlining the basic principles and key points of the collective expert appraisal.

• Fundamental principles and key points of collective expert assessment - version of 2 November 2012 (PDF, in French)

Public declarations of interest

The public declarations of interest of all the experts and agents contributing to the expert appraisal are published on this site.

• What is a public declaration of interest?
• See the public declarations of interest of the experts and staff members

Verbatims of proceedings

All Agency opinions and reports are published on its website.

• View the page entitled: "Expert assessment documents: ANSES opinions and reports
• See the opinions on Marketing authorisation for regulated plant protection products, biocides and fertilisers

In addition, a verbatim is drafted by ANSES at expert group meetingsthat lead to the adoption of conclusions for an Agency opinion on a public health or safety issue prior to an administrative decision. The verbatim is published on the Agency website after validation by the members of the expert group concerned. In accordance with Article L.1451-1-1 of the French Public Health Code (CSP), it includes the meeting's agenda, a summaryof the proceedings, and the details and explanations of votes, including the expression of minority opinions.

This is a new regulatory requirement that applies to a portion of the Agency’s work and is being implemented gradually to supplement the systematic publication of all opinions and reports.

• See the Expert Committee verbatims (in French)

List of Expert Committees and Thematic Working Groups